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| British Gas cuts its energy bills | British Gas cuts its energy bills |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| British Gas is cutting its prices for the second time in six weeks, the Centrica-owned company has said. | British Gas is cutting its prices for the second time in six weeks, the Centrica-owned company has said. |
| Its electricity prices will fall by 6% and gas by 3%, with immediate effect. | Its electricity prices will fall by 6% and gas by 3%, with immediate effect. |
| The move means its dual fuel customers - those that buy both types of energy from the firm - will save an average £40 a year from their bills. | |
| British Gas is lowering its prices in response to the falling wholesale cost of energy. It announced its first tariff cut this year in February. | British Gas is lowering its prices in response to the falling wholesale cost of energy. It announced its first tariff cut this year in February. |
| Since then six other companies have followed suit. | Since then six other companies have followed suit. |
| Switching suppliers | Switching suppliers |
| More than four million people switched their electricity or gas supplier last year in a bid to cut their bills, according to recent figures from energy regulator Ofgem. | More than four million people switched their electricity or gas supplier last year in a bid to cut their bills, according to recent figures from energy regulator Ofgem. |
| Since then, switching between companies has reached a new peak, with more than 600,000 households doing so in January and February this year. | Since then, switching between companies has reached a new peak, with more than 600,000 households doing so in January and February this year. |
| British Gas has lost about one million customers during the past 12 months. | British Gas has lost about one million customers during the past 12 months. |
| News of the price cuts come days after energy regulator Ofgem warned customers of two utility firms - EDF Energy and Scottish Power - to switch suppliers. | News of the price cuts come days after energy regulator Ofgem warned customers of two utility firms - EDF Energy and Scottish Power - to switch suppliers. |
| The watchdog said customers of the firms could save £140 a year, as the two companies had failed to cut their gas and electricity prices recently in line with their rivals. | The watchdog said customers of the firms could save £140 a year, as the two companies had failed to cut their gas and electricity prices recently in line with their rivals. |
| Between 2002 and this year, British Gas raised its electricity bills six times, and gas prices seven times, as it passed on the then rising wholesale prices to customers. | Between 2002 and this year, British Gas raised its electricity bills six times, and gas prices seven times, as it passed on the then rising wholesale prices to customers. |